Black Doctor
by mapplepie
Summary: TGG. Ghost Sherlock watched as the paramedics pronounced him dead. But John, confident as ever, clutched on tightly to his limp, pale body, refusing to admit it. Necromancer!John


_Something about putting the supernatural element into Sherlock makes it so much fun. Anyways, hope you enjoy this fic. _

_**Black Doctor**  
><em>

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><p>All Sherlock could feel was pain (oh so excruciating pain) as his lungs burned in chlorine. He faintly remembered a mass of body flying at him, pushing him into the pool just seconds ago. But he had been too focused on the sight ahead at the time - too focused on the consulting criminal in front of him -, determined to verify Moriarty's death with his own two eyes, to notice anything else.<p>

What had happened afterwards? What was happening now?

Sherlock tried to get his mind up and working again, scouring hard to find the elusive reboot button in his mind. Snippets of words echoed through his head, so disconnected and uncoordinated it made his head swirl in colours of hurt. Sherlock's brilliant brain tried to make sense of it all, but his whole body and mind seemed to rebelling him. Then, just when he thought he was getting the hang of his mental functions, it all abruptly fell silent (so unearthly silent). His brain halted like a frozen computer system, error codes flashing.

What was going on? Where was he? Everything felt wrong, wrong, _wrong..._

And then suddenly, the world beneath him fell.

Sherlock's eyes snapped open like a gasping breath, eyelids finally forced apart in order to take in the sight of the crumbling pool. The scene wavered as Sherlock took a shuttering gasp, then everything _else _that was wrong assaulted his senses. Slowly, the consulting detective dropped his gaze to his fingers (his transparent _ghostly_ fingers) in shock and amazement, then he looked lower to his helplessly kicking legs, floating several feet above the ground. His heart (wait, did he still have one?) sped in fear as he stared _down _at the pool, free from the constraints of physics and gravity.

"_... No ..."_ the words whispered through his barely moving lips.

_Impossible… _

But it clearly wasn't, because Sherlock himself was experiencing it right now, and he was never one to discard any information he saw with his own two eyes, no matter how improbable it seemed. Ghosts did exist! The absurdity of the being proven wrong about such a supernatural phenomenon astonished Sherlock to no end, and he should've been delighted, intrigued, exhilarated, but all he could think of at that moment was how much he _hated _it. Because if he was here, _dead_, then … John ... _John ...!_

Icy eyes flickered wildly around the pool side, searching for signs and clues of life. Suddenly, they narrowed and focused. With a single push off the air, Sherlock drifted towards the ground. Even before he landed, his fingers desperately clawed and clawed at the debris. However, the masses and matter of rocks and granite did nothing more but pass through Sherlock's hands like whispers of air.

_"No, no, no." _He hated, _hated_ this. Sherlock hissed out in infuriating. What good was he as a spectre when he was unable to do anything but watch and stare, and only _hope_ the good doctor could get himself out?

Around him, the poolside grew nosier as policemen, alerted by the loud explosion, scrambled onto the scene.

"Over here!" Sherlock shouted, unheard as he'd expected. But he had to be heard. He _needed _to be heard. Below where his ghostly body was floating, he'd seen movement and small tremors, as though there was a body moving under it. _He saw John_. And he'd be damned if the doctor lost his life for _his_ game.

Sherlock was no hero because that was John's role. And John; John could not die. Not like this.

"Listen to me, you ignorant buffoons," Sherlock snarled, flying circles around the useless policemen, "John is over there! Listen for once in your pathetic little lives!"

"Sherlock!" a new, familiar voice cried over the driveling lot.

Sherlock spun around, an illogical feeling of relief flooding through his body. But the Detective Inspector wasn't looking at him. The DI couldn't hear him either. The greying man was looking frantically around the ruins of the pool, using his rank to bully the men (not the Inspector's own lot, Sherlock noticed) to let him through. The man most likely read his website, no doubt.

"There's someone over here!" A voice finally shouted from beside Sherlock. The unnamed policeman kneeled beside a waving, pale hand protruding between cracks of granite.

"_Help me,"_ a weakly hoarse, and rasping voice echoed from inside. Guilt erupted inside of him as Sherlock stared worriedly, watching men pull huge chunks of rock to clear John's path.

Lestrade scrambled his way over, trying hard not to step on anything (God knows where Sherlock was buried under). "Dr. Watson! John! Can you hear me?" His hands reached for John, helping the unsteady doctor up, and gently guiding the man towards the paramedics.

Sherlock watched as his flatmate, his doctor, his _friend,_ resist and refuse. "Sherlock," he loyally repeated in that dry, hoarse whisper of his. His eyes were wide and flickering.

"We'll find him," Lestrade promised.

"No … _Sherlock_," John whispered insistently. The consulting detective had the distinct feeling John was looking at him when the soldier's dazed brown eyes locked on to his relative area (but how was that even possible?). Then Sherlock quickly brushed off the though before it could take root; it wasn't probable and he really should stop trying to delude himself with false hope. The cold hard fact was that he would never be seen or heard ever again.

And while Sherlock had been drowning in his thoughts, Lestrade had already maneuvered John towards the half-standing entrance. "We'll find Sherlock, and he'll be just fine," the DI murmured consolingly to John.

Sherlock couldn't even conjure up the spirit to scoff at Lestrade for being wrong as always. All he could do was stare at the living (oh God, John was alive and safe!) form of John Watson, and follow the man dutifully out.

* * *

><p>Ghost Sherlock stared as John continuously tried to shrug off his blanket and worm his way out of the paramedic's hands. "I'm fine," he repeated, over and over, his voice building up volume and strength each time. "I need to get Sherlock …"<p>

"John, we'll find him," Lestrade stated, as he did every other time. His own nervous twitches gave away his fears despite the DI's confident tone, but Sherlock doubted John even noticed them. "Let the professionals do their work."

"There's another one here!" a voice called.

Lestrade bolted up, eyes wide with relief. "See?" he cried, rushing over to where the men were hauling the body out. John stayed strangely still as he stared a pitying look at the rushing DI's back.

"Get the paramedics!" voices yelled. Men and women surrounded Sherlock's body, trying hard to save - or rather, trying to detect even a feeble sign of life.

Sherlock held himself back from his morbid curiosity, opting to keep John company (that's why friends were supposed to do, right?) rather than to study his own dead body. John's pace was slow as he made his way up, eyes trained between the gaps of the surrounding paramedics in order to gaze upon Sherlock's cold, pale form. "Don't worry," the doctor whispered quietly, but to whom he was talking to, no one knew.

As the rushing movements of the paramedics died down, Sherlock watched mutely as they finally had no choice but pronounce him dead (hadn't that been obvious from the beginning?). Lestrade clutched helplessly onto his lifeless hand, eyes watering and tears hanging onto his lashes. Apologies were offered to the DI, low and quiet, as no one was willing to interrupt the solemn atmosphere. That is, until a sharp voice cut through it all.

"He's not."

Heads whipped around, facing the bruised soldier strolling towards them, limp suddenly nonexistent.

"John…" Lestrade began.

"He's not dead," John stated firmly.

Around him, the paramedics, officers, and rescue team, shook their heads, assuming the man was in shock and denial. But Sherlock could see the utter determination and confidence in John's brown eyes – completely free from any signs of doubt.

"John, you have to accept it; Sherlock's gone. He's not breathing. He has no pulse," Lestrade reasoned rationally, even as he ached not to believe it himself.

John Watson was unyielding. "I'm a doctor. I know," the man said, swiftly elbowing people out of the way as he kneeled down beside Sherlock. "He's not dead."

"Doctor Watson -"

"Sherlock Holmes chose me to be his assistant for a reason. I know what I'm saying. He's not dead!" the doctor's voice declared, growing louder and sterner with each word. Furious eyes focused on the Inspector, daring the man to contradict him.

"You're too aggravated," Lestrade murmured softly, "It's clouding your mind. And you just got out of the rubble yourself. We should get you to the hospital for a quick check up."

"We're going home," John interrupted abruptly, arms wrapped around the consulting detective's limp body. "_We're_ going home."

"You can't bring Sherlock back to Baker Street with you."

"I can and I will," the doctor called out resolutely, turning his back to the DI.

"What would Mrs. Hudson say? Don't scare the poor woman," Lestrade protested.

"She'll welcome us home," John stated, voice calm as ever. "And after a good night's sleep, we'll both gather in the living room with her to retell tonight's fanatical tale."

Old, grave eyes of Lestrade's closed in pain, knowing nothing he said could change the doctor's mind.

"I'm dead, John," Sherlock whispered. "Accept it."

John tightened his grip around the body, burying his head into Sherlock's chest. "You're not dead," John whispered throatily into the dusty coat, and then he lifted his head and glared once more at everyone around him. John rose a second later, his legs wobbling as he pulled the body up and took steady steps towards the road. He blatantly ignored all the pitying glances sent his way.

"John," Sherlock called at the man's back, voice pleading, "Listen to the Inspector. Don't do this."

"Come along, Sherlock," John said out loud, undaunted. He hooked his arm around Sherlock's waist (of that empty, hollow body), half-dragging the man as he hailed a cab. "Remind me to throw your scarf into the wash when we get back to the flat, won't you? It's gotten quite filthy," he murmured nonchalantly, patting Sherlock's tattered scarf in place.

"Turn around. Just leave me. No one's going to stop for a dust covered man and a dead body," Sherlock urged, floating worried circles around the doctor and his former self. From the corner of his eye, Sherlock could see Mycroft standing off to the side, frozen unnaturally, hand gripping his umbrella.

"Mycroft's here," Sherlock said, half-hoping John would - _could_ - just _listen_ to him. "Forget my body and get a ride to Baker Street from Mycroft. It's more comfortable than a cab. Less stares."

John ignored him (what else did he expect?), eyes fixed down the road, focused intently on hailing their ride.

Sherlock took another glance at his brother who was speaking quietly with the Detective Inspector now, in low murmured voices. The man looked over at John (at them) with disappointed eyes and a displeased shake of his head. Anger and stubbornness suddenly coursed through Sherlock. "On second thought, forget Mycroft. Get a cab," the ghost snapped, "There probably won't be enough room for you. Mycroft's been skipping out on his diet again."

A thin, wirily grin appeared on John's face at Sherlock's words. Or more likely it was meant for the cab that pulled up right at that moment. But Sherlock could always pretend, couldn't he?

"Come on, let's get in," John said unnecessarily. He carefully nudged Sherlock's body into the backseat before climbing in himself. "221 Baker Street, please." He buckled Sherlock's seatbelt for him.

"Is he alright, sir?" the cabbie asked, eyes slanted into a nervous stare.

"Just unconscious," John lied.

"I'm dead," Sherlock corrected, but as expected, no one reacted to his words.

The cabbie nodded, if not a bit uncertain, but started the car.

They elapsed in silence before John turned towards Sherlock's body (and Sherlock himself sitting beside it). "Well, today was an eventful day, wouldn't you say?" John spoke, talking as though he expected Sherlock to be listening. "I can't believe Jim was Moriarty. Had you fooled too, didn't he? I know you didn't spare him a second glace in the mo- "

As the words flowed from the doctor's mouth, Sherlock smiled softly, nodding, pretending he was actually alive and breathing beside John. Before he was really gone, and his ghostly body was forced to disappear off to wherever the spirits were destined to go, all he wanted to do was burn this moment into his hard drive. This scene he'd taken for granted – John, his friend, talking, teasing him – he'd never forget. He refused to forget.

Sherlock closed his eyes and let his face lift into a contented smile, head nodding in agreement with everything the doctor said. It didn't matter what John was saying to him; he just let the conversation wrap around him like a safe blanket. One he hoped he could bring with him up there in the beyond (not that he planned to leave his doctor any time soon - not if he could help it).

* * *

><p>John dragged Sherlock out of the cab, digging into his tattered pockets and thankfully coming up with the money for the ride. He pulled Sherlock alongside of him as he knocked weakly at the door, rousing Mrs. Hudson. When the old woman pulled the door open, she was treated to the shocking scene of her two dusty boys, leaning on each other for support.<p>

"Sorry for the mess," John greeted, sounding as cheerful as he could manage on such an eventful day.

"What happened, dears?" Mrs. Hudson exclaimed. Her eyes focused on the limp curly-haired detective, who hadn't stirred even once the whole time. "Sherlock…" Mrs. Hudson began, voice shaking ever-so slightly, "Is Sherlock…"

John smiled politely. "He fell asleep in the cab," the doctor said dismissively, hauling Sherlock up the stairs to the flat with him. "I'll tell him to come down tomorrow to apologise for giving you such a shock," the doctor continued. John didn't wait for an answer as he eased their flat door open and quickly stepped through.

"You shouldn't give her false hope," Sherlock whispered softly, watching Mrs. Hudson's worried face as he drifted behind his faithful doctor.

"I'm not giving her false hope," John said, answering Sherlock's comment, in an chillingly lucky coincidence. Even so, even a mere fluke was enough for Sherlock. Sherlock supposed pretending he was having a proper conversation with John was preferable to the sad knowledge that he was alone and unheard.

Sherlock floated to the ground beside John, pretending he was walking beside the doctor. "Of course you are," Sherlock ridiculed, trying to delude himself into thinking that this was just another typical argument between them. "If you'd only looked at the facts, you'll see you can't deny the truth that I no longer inhabit that body in your arms."

John stopped abruptly at the door and Sherlock flew through him, unexpecting the sudden halt. "Oh, _now_ you decide to grace me with a conversation," John groused, staring Sherlock directly in the eye. A chill of (amazement? alarm? disbelief? anxiety?) shock ran through the detective. _Could John really…_

Sherlock hesitantly stepped off to the right, fear of disappointment gnawing in the depths of his stomach. His icy blue eyes fixed intently on John's.

And John; good ol' John's focused brown eyes followed perfectly.

"You can see me," Sherlock whispered, awed, and oh so excited.

John rolled his eyes, but grinned playfully back at the taller man. "Of course. Who do you think I was talking to in the cab? Then again, it wasn't much of a conversation. A bit difficult when all you did was close your eyes, smile, and nod the whole time."

"You were talking to me?"

"Of course I was. Who else was there to talk to?" John asked with a low chuckle. "Some great detective you're turning out to be."

Sherlock looked amazedly, staring alternatively between himself and the body now lying face up on the couch. "But I'm _dead_, and that," he pointed at his body, "that _should_ be the only thing you can see."

"I'm not crazy, you know," John said conversationally. "I don't talk to dead bodies; an empty shell obviously can't hear me."

"No," Sherlock scoffed, unable to help the feeling of glee bubbling inside (was there even an inside for ghosts?) of him, "You just talk to spectres." And he was oh so glad John did.

"Better than a skull," John grinned.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "I deduce to the skull. I don't talk to him expecting to have a conversation."

John grinned and shrugged and _looked_ at him. Sherlock didn't know when he had ever been so glad to have people's eyes trained on his self. "How is this even possible? How can you see me?" Sherlock asked, voice coated with curiosity. "This is illogical - _supernatural_."

"I know," John said softly, face in his typical embarrassed grimace. "It is a gift; a curse; an art."

Sherlock's icy blue eyes gleamed in contemplation. "The dark arts – black arts," he deduced, hardly believing in his own words himself.

"I am a White Doctor; I can save the living from death. I am a Black Doctor; I can save the dead and give them life."

"A necromancer," the detective confirmed in awed disbelief.

"Essentially, yes."

"And you can save me," Sherlock said – stated – because it wasn't a question.

"Yes," John smiled. "I told them you weren't dead."

"_Save me."_

"Of course." And then John blinked.

When he opened his eyes, the first thing Sherlock noticed was John's lit, blue (when did it turn blue?) irises, circling pure white pupils. Bright speckled rings formed and glowed unnaturally (and oh so eerily) in John's eyes as the doctor turned towards the spectre. "Shall we?" he asked, strangely collected. Sherlock nodded. John smiled. "Give me your hand," the doctor, the necromancer, demanded, holding his own out.

The moment Sherlock touched him, lights erupted in his head. Colours whirled in front of his eyes as the world faded into glowing lines. Sherlock could hear muttering or chanting from John, but nothing he could make out or even understand.

The only thing the consulting detective could focus on was the sudden warmth (oh, it seemed like so _long_ since he'd been warm) that enveloped him, pulling and squeezing his wispy transparent body.

He didn't know what John was doing. He didn't know _how_ John was doing it. But this was John, and Good Doctor, Bad Doctor, White Doctor, Black Doctor; he didn't care what it was. This was John, and he _trusted_ John.

The room itself seemed to heave, trying desperately to contain John's dark magic within its walls. Raw power and unnatural winds invaded the room, making it their own. Shudders rattled, furniture wobbled, and the air was thick and vile. The world herself practically screamed out in agony at the outrageous turn of events, as John snatched back what earth tried to claim as her own.

And then there was silence (unnerving, complete and utter silence), and then black, black, black, _black,_ _black …_

"_Welcome home,"_ a soft voice seemed to whisper in his skull. Or maybe it was just Sherlock's imagination.

* * *

><p>The door pounded loudly, rousing both men up from their slumbers. John blearily rubbed his eyes, still feeling the drain from yesterday's ritual. "I'm up," he groaned out, loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. "Who is it?"<p>

"I am here to collect my brother," Mycroft's posh voice replied, calm as always. "You've had your rest. I do hope you're capable of thinking clearly today. I assume you don't wish to have Sherlock decaying on your couch."

John looked up at the man's words, before turning to Sherlock (alive, alive, _ALIVE!) _who was already awake and irritated at his brother's words. A smile quirked on John's lips on its own accord. _All was right with the world once again._

"Are you planning to let me in?" Mycroft spoke, the rhythmical tapping of his umbrella sounding impatiently on the floor.

"Er, yes. A moment please," John called out, swiftly standing up. He paused for a second before turning towards his flatmate. "I'll put the kettle on," John volunteered softly, eyes twinkling in a sudden thought of amusement.

"Excellent," Sherlock nodded, face split into a smirking grin, "and _I'll_ get the door."


End file.
